Carbons or other articles



(NoModel.) 7shets-sneet1.-

W. J. POSSONS, APPARATUSFOR BLEGTROPLATING GARBONS 0R OTHER ARTICLES.

1\ I0.441,894. Patented Dwz, 1890.

i 1l ll (No M5481.) 7 sheets-sheet 2. W. J. POSSONS.

APPARATUS EUR ELETROPLATING ARBONS 0R OTHER ARTIGLES.

No'. 441,894. Patented Dc. 2,1890.

(No Model.) 'I sheetssheet 3.

W. J. POSSONS.

T APPARATUS TOR RLRGTRORLATING GARRoNs 0R OTHER ARTICLES.

No. 441,894. Patented Deo.2,'l89'0.

(No Model.) 7 sheetsfsheet 4.

W. J. PossoNs.

APPARATS POR ELEGTR'OPLATING GARBONS 0R OTHER ARTICLES. No. 441,894'. Patented Deo. 2, 1,890.

(No Mdel.) 7 sheets-sheen 5.

. W. J. PosSoNs. APPARATUS FOR BLECTROPLATING CARBONS 0R OTHER ARTICLES.'

y No. 4415894. Patented Deo. 2, 1890.

r1. 0.' w I 7 lS119ets--Shee-t1 6.

(No Model.)

W. J. PossoNs. APPARATUS FOB BLBG'IROPLATING GARBONS OR GTHBR ARTICLES.

'T'Sheens-Sheet 7.

Patented Dee. 2,-'18-90..

H70@ nu W. J. PossoNs. e ,e APPARATUS FOR ELEGTROPLATING CARBONS 0R OTHER ARTILBS.

(No Model.)

@MMM/meow UNITED STATES 9PATENT Dorion.

"wiLLiAMn Poescivs, 'or CLEVELAND, onionssienonjro 'rHE`BRUsi-i ELECTRIC COMPANY, or sA'Ms PLACE.

APPARATUS For ELEcTRoPLAnNe cAnBoNs or OTHER ARTICLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters `.ifa-torri; No. l, dated Eecembei' 2, 1890. Appleman 'mea october ir, me. Senn ne aereos. on man To aZL whom it 11i/'ay concern:

Be it known, that l, WILLIAM J. Passons, of Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and attendant takes the naked carbcns after they` useful Improvements in Apparatus for Elec tropleting "Carbons orv other Articles; and I do hereby. declare the following to bea. full, clenr, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the ort to 1which it. nppertains to make and use the they have been electropleted in the following.

manner: A vertically-adjiistahle rack or bnr provided with a series of clamps is located above a row of plating-jars, which latter are connected in series by a conductor from the dynamo or other current-generator. An

are suitably prepared for plating sind forces a carbon into each one of the clamps,which4 latter serves'to hold. them in a. vertigini. ,position. The rack or ber is then lowered, and the series of carbone suspended Itherefrom is lowered, each one of the carbone entering,l one of the plating-jars, where it remsinsuntil electroplatemwhen the bnr and its attached carbons are raised, and the carbone are ex tracted singly from their clamps... The om' bons, after being electroplated, ere then piled on a rack nnd immersed in a bath oi? boiling water to cleanse "them of the plating sinnlich,- vwhen they are 'placed in ,s furnace and thoroughly dried, when they rire ready for use.

While carbone cnn be electroplnted quite rapidly and economically by the method above described, the object of my invention is to provide an apparatus byivhich the cnrbons may .be handled. with much greater rapidity and safety, :mol thus to materially reduce the expense oi eleotroplating them.

Wilh'these ends in `view the inrention con sists incertain features of improvement in 'the process and apparatus, ne wiii be herein- .tlie .sa-ine.

after described, and pointed ont inthe claims.

In the accompanying drawingsJfiigu-rel is a plan view of a. eerboircharging rack and holder and discharging rock and receiver. Fig. 2 -is a, view in side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a view in end elevationywhich also shows one of the cnrbonliolding rocks after it has been'reised. Fig. is a. plan `view of the pleting appare-ins, is a view, partlyin end. elevation end partly in section, of the plating npparatns.- Fig. G is a view, partly in side elevation and partly in section, of Figs. 7 end 8 are detached views of the stationery electrical contacts. Fig. 9 is :i view in perspeciiveof one'of the combined clamps and contacts. Fig. l0 is a detail view of the upper ends of two of the` tubular holders,V the perforated top board, and the rubber cloth; and Fig. 11 is a view, part-ly in side elevation and partly in section, of one of the clamps.

A represents o. rectangular supportingn frameof the 'clim-ging apparatus, which may, if desired, be supported on casters c to en able it to be readily moved from one place to another.

A A2 are npriglits fastened at their lower ends to the snpportingdrnme A and forming the ends of the frame in which are mounted the tubular holders. This frame consists' of the trop and bottom boards a.' a2 and suitable diagonal braces a3' and cleats a". Tubular holders B, which may lie mede of straight brass tubes cut into proper lengths, are snpporte at tlieiriower ends on the bottom hoard, while their upper ends project through holes 15S formed in the tcp, board, the holes B being sutiiciently larger than the tubular holders to cambie the upper end free ends of the letter to have n certain ernennt ot' free lateral movement in all directions.

Iii is e. rubber cloth or sheet of rubber rows, consisting of. any desired number, the*` in the center .of the hole in the top board, allows the upper end of each holder a certain,

amount of lateral movement or adj ustment,

for a purpose which will be 'hereinafter de scribed.A t T v bular holders B are arrangedfin parallel space between the holders of each row and between each row being su'flicientsiuiply to allow of the desired lateral adjustxmeritof the upper ends of the holders. v

C represents a rack consisting of a board ,provided with parallel stripsc, forming intervening grooves c `each ot' which is of the proper width to admit of a carbon rod or stick. l The rack is constructed with grooves c',-,equal in number to the tubular holdersi'n I one row in the charging apparatus.' VAt the opposite ends of 'the rack and at one'side are fastened the trunnions C', which iitinto theA `groove Ci; formed in the nietal rack-bars C8, which are fastened to the opposite ends of 'the frame of the charging apparatus.

' bons inthe grooves c will be brought into C" are hinged lbrackets on whichthe rack (l is supported. l Having described the construction ofthe charging appsratnis, l will now explain the manner in which it is itilled or charged with carbone. The trunnionsCl of thel rack. C are 'rs't placed in` the: 'groovesor notches liatth'e.

aiienmentwith the open ends of'the tubular holders and slide therein by gravity, and

hence itis the work of an instantonlyto' fill an entire row of holders with carbonsr;

The 'trn'nnions of the rack are then moved and nsertedin notches 2 of the metalrackbars and the groovesc' lfilled asbetore.- The rack is-then tilted and the Asecond 'ro'w ot tubular holders is filled with carbone. In this way all of the tubular holders are filled with carbons,and, as will be readily appreciated,-

but little time or labor is calledfor in doingv the work.

- The tubnlarlioldersare two or threeinches shorter than rthe carbon sticks or rods, so that the latter project abone the upper ends of the tubes, as shown in thc drawings, so that they muy be readily grasped bythoclamps on the bnrsol' the plating apparatus.

l will now proceed to describe the construction and mode oi' operation olrcertain other features of improvement in my cleclroplatlng apparatus,

fiancee.Y

'which-is subdivided by partitions (liuto any desired numbers -of receptacles d', each one of which contains a glassjar D or other suit- 1Atank, furnished with but comparatively few jars, While in practice I employ a .m uch larger number.' At the opposite sides of the tank and between the rows of jars are secured the which are covered with strips d2 of sheet-rub 'ber'or rubberV cloth, while upon such strips 'are fastened hard rubber .insulating-bars E, which are secured .in place: by screws c. .Upon the insulating-bars Eare'placed the stationary contacts F, enlarged views of which 'are illustrated in Figs. and 8. Each of the contacts F consists of a base-piece f, an up- .right contact .projection f which is beveled to an edge atits; upper cnd,and a perforated ment of the electric conductor, which latter -is fastened within the `hole f2 by a set-screw f?. The base-piece f is formed with screwholes ff for the reception ot-t-h'e 'fasteningscrews f5, which latter, as will be observed by reference to Fi gui 7 do not extend through the insulating-bar E, and he'nce'the contacts another.- -Ea'ch'` contact is electrically con- ,hected bye conductor G with a cylindrical copper anode G in one of the glass jars.

H H' are vertically-adjustable barslocated at thev opposite ends of the tank. Each ad justable bar is provided at its opposite ends in guides h h2, attached to the tank. The center. of each baris provided with a depending guide-rod h3, which moves in a guide formed of the brackets h4 h. *To each of the center guide-rods and at its lower end is fastupwardly and over a sprocket-wheel lf, which is journaled on a short stud secured to the end of the tank, and over a sprocket-wheel J,

to both sprocket-wheels J whereby the latter vrotate in unison with one another. To the nearly counterbalances the adjustable frame and its attached parts, thereby rendering it wan easy matter for a workman to quickly raise and lower such parts of the apparatus.

K are clamp-bars, each of which has secured to its lower edge a series of combined clamps and contacts, an enlarged view of one if such clamps and contacts being shownin y *ign 9. l Lis a base-plate provided withscrewholes to the lower edge of the clamp-bar. plate L has formed integral therewith two depending lngsl L', the lower ends of which are ljourualcd the jaws L L of the springactu ablereceptacle. l The vdrawings illustrate' a parallel woodeny strips D, thelnpper edges of.

arethoroughly insulated from any conducting'A part ot thetank and also insulated one from with a depending guide-rod'h, which moves lixed to a'shaft J', the latter being common lug F atone end of the base for the attach- IOO cned one end of a'chain I. which is extended IIO end of the chai-n is attached a weighty, which y k k It, by which it isfirmlysecured by screws Baseconnected lby a pin or rivet Z2, on which are ated contact. The lower ends ofthe jaws are constructed with lan outwardly-daring plate, whereby there is formed a converging mouth for the reception of the stationary con 4 pressure operates to force the upper ends of the jawsI apart and the lower and contact ends into contact with each other.

'within a socket m', formed on the base-plate ras l5 Z5 are depending stops formed on the baseplate and serve to limit the outward movement of the contact-jaws.

M is a carbon-clamp, and is provided at its upper end with a vstud m, which is received L, and is secured therein by a set-screw fm2. Clamp M consists of the stationary jawsiM and movable-jaw-M, to the former at ms. The lower ends of the jaws are constructed with V-shaped engaging surfacesm, which are outwardly beveled at their lower edges. The stationary jaw is provided with a` stop m5, which serves to limit .the upward movement of the carbon rod or sticktherein. Eachjaw is constructed with a laterally-projecting arm N, having a stud n ,formed thereon, and a spiralsprin g N3, the opposite ends of which are mounted on the studs n, serves to force the arms apart and the engaging ends of the jaws toward each other.. The engaging surfaces of the lower ends ci?` the jaws are so shaped as to readily receive the end of the carbon rod 4or stick and to center itin such manner thatit will be'held in a vertical position.

Each one of the clamp-bars K is provided p with any desired number of combined clamps and contacts, and the clamp-bars are mounted .upon the adjustable bars H.' II and retained against displacement thereon. by means of studs O on bars II Il', which en ter'corresponding'ly-shaped sockets 0' in the clamp-bars By lifting the the clamp-bars off from the studs O they may be readily removed from the tank.

The clamps are charged with carbon sticks or rods in the followingmanner: A workman .at each end of one of the clamp-bars places the latter over one of the rows ot4 tubular holders and then lowers the clam p-lar, moving itJongitudinally, as may be necessary, to cause the clamp at each end to register. and receive one ot" the projecting ends of the carbon sticks in a holder. The clamp-har is then pressed down, the effect of which is to cause a carbon stick to enter each one of the clamps and be retained therein by the action of the springs'tending to force the jaws together.

The clamp-bd; is then raised and carried to, the plating-tank and placed on the adjusta` ble bars l-I H, care being taken to so adj ust the clamp-bars that studs O will enter the sockets O formed therein. bar is then forced downwardly on the remain lng carbons in the same row of tubular holdthe latter being pivoted Another clamp.

ers and the clamps -illlcd asbcl'ore.l This op,

eration is continued until all o! the carbone in that particular row have been removed,

when t-he'carbcns are takcui from the next row, and so on, until the charging 'apparatus' is empty and requires refilling.

The tubular holders are locattd in close proximity to each other, and one .hundred or more may, if desired, be arranged in each row. As to the clamps, they must be situated farther apart, and hence the tubular holders.. i

are located at such a distance apart that the intervening'space'shall be a multiple of the space between the clamps. For instance, if one hundred tubular holders are arranged in each row and only ten clamps are arranged on each clamp-bar, the space between the adjacent holders is one-tenth the space between the clamps. It therefore follows that .when the clamp-bars are forced down on the car. bonsin the tubular holders the clamp-bar can' be adjusted so that the clamps will register with the carbons until an entire rowV of car.- bons has been removed.

In forcing the clamps onto the projecting 4ends of the carbons and in extracting the car-- bonsv from their holders the carbone will not always exactly register with the clamps, and hence if the tubular holders were held rigidly in place they would often break eitherby their engagement with the clamps or by becoming 'hound in the holders. I'obviate all such trouble and damage by mounting the upperends of each of the tubular holders in a yielding bearing, so that when the clamp engages the end of the carbon the latter will readily yield laterally in any direction and adjust itself t to the clamp, and in the withdrawal of the carbone from their holders the latter will adjust themselves so as tobe 1n' alignment with the direction of the move ment of the clamps when raised, and thus Ainsure the ready removal of the carbons without danger of their binding'or breaking.

After all the` clamps of the clamp-bars of n plating-tank have been charged with carbons and the bars have been properly mounted' loo.

ros

IIO

on the vertically movable frame, which latshown in Fig. 5 which operation causes each carbon to enter one ot the glass jars, which is nearly filled with plating solution and contains a cylindrical copper anode. When the clamp-bars are lowered, the movable contact-jaws L L connected therewith, re-

ceive .the upright stationary contacts F and form, an extended and intimate electrical oo ntact therewith. The electric current enters thev apparatus through aconductor P, connected, with the positive binding-post P','and from thence flows by a conductor G to the copper anode in the jar Q, 4and from thence through the platingbath tothe carbon,which results in forming an electrodeposition of\ copper on the carbon. j The current4 up the carbon to the clamp, and from thence through the movable and stationary contacts and conductors G, connected withthe lai-ter tothe copper anode in the next .adjacent jar of the series, and so on, passing `lsuccessively through all of the jars in the tank to the negat-V tive binding-post Q and conductors Qthe latter being connected to the negative pole of the generator. p Y

After the cai-bons have been .electropleted for a sufficient length of ti'uie 'to forni a film of copper of lthe desiredthickness on their surfaces the frame supporting the chimp-y bsrs is raised, thereby simultaneously raisingall of the platedl carbone from the tankl and into the position Ashown ingdottedl lines in Fig. 6. Each clamp-baris then removed from thefrafineandcarried to a disch rging apparato-s, which is constructed as f llo-ws:

ends to the supportingbase A of .the che-rg- 'ng apparatus.. Thefzupper, ends of the up- After'the carbone have been electroplated and raised from thetank, as explained, eac-h clamp-bar with the plated cerbrousY attrtclfied `to its'clamps is carried to the discharging ape' para-tus, and the ends of the clamp-bar placed over the upper-end of the-uprights R R, and the clamps arranged so thet-thei-r vvlaterallyproje'cting arms will rest upon the crosrrbar.

S. The clamp-bar is then forced down, so as to-exert a sufficient pressure on the yielding arms of the clamps' to open the jaws 'oft-he latter and thereby simultaneously release' the carbone from their clam-ps. The csroons in faallirg'strike the inclined .front wal-1 of the receiving-box, which'checkstheir descentend which they are washed and dried in an'y ap' prevents them from breaking. The wires T serve as delecto'rs, preventing the carbon-s.v from falling sidewise'into-the i box, and 'also serve to .retain the discharged carbone `inf piles arranged paraileltoene another." 4'After the receptacle has been-'lilled or the cartoonsy of e plating-tank have been dischargedy therein i it is tilted forwzirh'the hinged sectionl U vis" unlocked, and the carbons are removed,sfter proved apparatus.

It isevideit'that many rticies other-them electric-ight earbons might be electroplated in accordance with my iin vent-ion, sndurther, that many changes in the construction `and arrangement' of parts might ,he resorted to' rvitlri'zuzxt departing from the spirit of the` in Heut, is-

RR are'uprightsfastened at their lower vention, and hence I would. have it understood that I. do net restrictmyself to the particular construction and arrangement of parts shown 'and describedsgbugl'x.

- Having fulflydescribed I claim, and

invention,.wha.t Y, desire 'tot 'Secure by Letters' Pnt- 1.4Inan electroplatingappnratus,acharging apparatus 'comprising-a series of-tubular holders, substautially'asjset forth.

' 2. In an@ electroplating' apparatus, acharging apparatus comprising a series of laterallyyielding` holders, substantially-:is set forth. 3: In an electroplstng appitretns,the coinbination, with aseries of holders, of a rack for charging the series simultaneously, substantially -as set forth.

4. In lan electropla'ting apparatos,thecombinatiou, with a series 'of holders and yielding supports for the upper or open ends of the holders, of a hinged rack for simili-taneously chargingall the holders ofa row or series, substantially asset forth.

5. In an electroplating,gapperatusthe coinbina-tion, with two or more rows or 'series of tubularholders, of an adjustable hinged rock constructed with grooves for, holding and guiding the articles to the holders, substantially 'as set forth. 4

' k6. In an electropleting apparatus, the-coinbination, with a. frame and two er more rows hinged rackand a rack-bar for pivotally supporting the rack in' proper position forsimultaneously charging the holders of each. row, substantially as set forth.

lof tubular holdersymounted therein, of a IOO Q7. In an electroplatingapparatustheeoinl. .Y

bination, with a fram-e proydedwth upper and lower supports, of t'wo or more series of a.. ksheet of 'elastic material for imparting a yielding bearing tothe upper and open ends of the holders, substantially as set forth.

8. In anelectroplating apparatus, the'cornbinatiou, with the partitions of a platingtsnk,

ef a stri-p of hard rubber secured to the edge of the partition, and a contact fastened to they strip of hard rubber by screws that extend oniy'partly through the hard-rubber strip,

'substantially as 'set forth. v y A- 9. In an electroplatin-g apparatus, the'combination, with the partitions of the pistingtank, of a stripof flexible rubber placed on the edge of the partition, a strip of hard rubberifasten'ed .over thev iiexbie rubber strip,

land contacts secured to the hard-rubber strip,

substantially-as set fortn. Y

ta'b-ular holders mounted in said frame, and

IIC)

1 0. In an electroplating apparatus, the comn bination, with 'a'.- plating-tank, of 'verticallymovable bars or a frame end clampibars' inifd'ep'endently sindl detachably secured to said bars or frame, substantially asset forth.

1.1. In an electropla'ting apparatus, a cleinp44 provided with 'a laterallyprojecting vmovable arm. connected with 'the lmoveable clamping 1n an elctxoplgtingpparau,thcom- In testimony whereof I hewasignecl this 1o A `bmatiomwith' a, base-plate, of a clamping-jaw specification in the presonoe of two subscriband contact-jaws, Substantially as Set forth.

ing' witnesses. 13. 1n nu electroplating apparatus, tho combnaton, with a platlug-tank and two or more ".LLIAM J., POISSONS.

Hows of p1atng-ja1s,ea,ch furnished with ay sta Y tionary Contact, of two orv more clampng- XVitnesses: rbms provided with clamps and couacbjaws, L. W. BRxmL'EY.

substantially as sof fort W. F; SAYLE. 

